By: Linda Buice, STPRC Volunteer​ The Southern Tier PRC is committed to being a resource for the community. While being a parent is a wonderful experience, it is a journey that may require support, resources and education. There is not a manual for being a parent but there are ways to prepare. We feel that educated parents are empowered parents.One of our facilities is dedicated to educating and supporting parents through the pregnancy and even beyond. We want to help you prepare for your child or help you after. Raising a child is one of the most important things you will do. Let us help you be the best parent you can be.

​We would like to invite you to take a look at our inviting facility. It is a welcoming and happy place.

Our next posts will detail programs that we offer and our boutique. So if you feel overwhelmed or just needing some help getting ready for parenthood, we would love to get to know you and begin the journey together.

Our peer-counselors will help you dispel the myths about adoption and explore the types of adoptions available. Before you make a decision we want to help you know all of your options.

Open adoption is one choice available and is defined as an adoption that involves contact between biological and adoptive parents and sometimes between biological parents and the adopted child.[1]This is a broad definition and individual situations might look different based on the choices and needs of each client.​Open adoption options might include:

Getting to knowing the adoptive parents before the birth (perhaps letting them be present for the birth)

Ongoing direct contact between the birth parent and the adoptive family after the birth

No direct contact with adoptive family, but after the birth letters and pictures sent through the agency or another third party

Perhaps as your life situation changes, the choice for contact may change. The open adoption leaves more choices for communication.[2] Maybe you have your own ideas on how to be involved and communicate with adoptive parents.

In a closed adoption, the birth parents and the adoptive families will not have contact with one another. This is private and the identities of each party are not known.[3]The Pregnancy Resource Center is not an adoption agency, but can help connect you with agencies that specialize in them. Our qualified peer-counselors will connect you with an adoption agency that can help you make an adoption plan that will work for you. The STPRC can even help you prepare questions ahead of the contact.

As stated in the previous blog post, not only is adoption an opportunity for your future, it also ensures the future of your unborn child by providing what you may not be able to give at this time in your life. There are many wonderful families looking for adoption opportunities. We can help connect you to reputable adoption agencies and even facilitate a meeting between the agency and you in the STPRC’s office.

Our peer-counselors are here to help you become better informed about all of your choices. We’ve looked closely at abortion and the risks and now are looking at alternatives. In the previous post we looked at single parenting. Adoption may be an option other than single-parenting which may help bring peace of mind for both you and the future of your unborn child.

​Before you decide if adoption is the right choice for you, it is important to have all the information and not make a choice based on emotion. Let us help you get the information you need.

Consider some reasons why adoption might be the right choice. Perhaps it might give you the opportunity to pursue your own dreams whether they are educational or financial. Maybe it will be a chance to just move forward in life until you are ready to parent. Studies done on mothers who released their children for adoption indicated that those mothers had more favorable social, economic, and educational outcomes than the single parenting mothers. Some other compelling results include these mothers were more likely to:

Not only is adoption an opportunity for your future, it also ensures the future of your unborn child, which you play a significant part in choosing.

We have resources to help you become better informed about adoption as well as peer-counselors that can help go through myths about adoption that are unfounded. Information available on the Internet or from others might not be accurate. We can assist you in looking at adoption and your situation. Our next blog will address the types of adoption.

The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors to help you become better informed and give you the support you need. Our services are kept confidential. Your pregnancy outcome is your decision, we are here to help. Contact us today for an appointment.[1]Is Adoption Right for Me? Lake Forest: Adoption Network Law Center, n.d. Print.[2]"Adopt." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 1 June 2016.Top of FormAdoption is defined as taking on the legal responsibility as parent of a child that is not your biological child.[2]

As stated in previous blog posts, pregnancy is a life-changing moment for a woman and those close to her regardless of age. Let's discuss single parenting.

The dictionary defines parenting as the process of taking care of children until they are old enough to take care of themselves or the things that parents do to raise a child.[1] Depending on your circumstances, parenting by yourself might seem impossible. This may feel especially true if you are single without support from others. Perhaps, you have not had good examples of parenting in your life. This could make you feel even more overwhelmed or leave you feeling totally unqualified. You don’t have to feel alone. We are here to help you explore all options completely and help you to know your rights. Each situation is different and is handled individually.

Becoming completely informed about possible choices is the first step. Our help includes exploring the similarities and differences between adoption and single parenting. We can show you the resources and support available to you and also help you find answers to questions you might have about being a single parent.

Our website mentions our Life Center which is at a nearby location. At this center we offer both pregnancy and parenting education in addition to material assistance. We also have support for fathers. The staff and volunteers of the STPRC believe that single moms and dads can be GREAT moms and dads. Please remember that parenting is not a journey you need to go through alone. Help and support is available to help you parent. We are here to support you by first talking with you confidentially about all of your options. If you choose to parent we want to walk alongside you through that journey by offering education, material assistance, and emotional and spiritual support. Mostly, we want to walk alongside you to witness you succeed as a loving and nurturing mom or dad!

The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors to help you become better informed and give you the support you need. Our services are kept confidential. We are here to help you. Contact us today for an appointment.

By: Linda Buice, STPRC volunteerAs we discussed in our previous blogs, pregnancy is a life-changing moment for a women and those close to her regardless of age. It can be overwhelming and often abortion seems like the only option. Abortion can have long term emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual effects that last well beyond the procedure. To be better informed includes looking at the other choices thoroughly before you make any decisions for your future and the future of your baby.

Let us help you look at other choices. You can choose to parent or perhaps, make an adoption plan. We will explore alternative choices to abortion in this series and will help you answer questions like the ones below.

Am I really ready to be a parent?

If I do parent my baby, what support is available?

How will carrying my baby to term impact my life during my pregnancy and after?

What happens after I have my baby?

How does adoption really work?

What are my rights if I choose adoption?

What about the baby's father? What are his rights?

What are some adoption agencies?

Does it cost money?

How can I be sure my baby will have a good adoptive family?

Remember, the Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors to help you become better informed about the answers to these questions and other questions you might have. We are here to give the support you need and our services are kept confidential. We are here to help you. Contact us today for an appointment.

By: Linda Buice, STPRC VolunteerThe spiritual effects of abortion are often not talked about or considered. As we stated in earlier posts, there are physical, psychological, and emotional risks to both the men and women involved with an abortion and decisions should not be rushed. Those risks have been researched and are well documented. Spiritual issues are usually not considered at all because what is going on inside is not tangible.

Spirit is defined as the force that is within the person or the inner quality which gives the person the body energy and power. For some people they refer to being spiritual when they are talking about their faith. The word spiritual is defined as relating to the spirit of a person or their religion or religious beliefs. Both terms are talking about what is going on internally and that is something most women or men do not talk about and keep private.

As stated in previous blog posts, there are many reasons why women think abortion is the only option. Maybe at that time in life it seems to be the only answer, but people grow and change with time. A perfect example would be Norma Mc Corvey who is the woman represented in Roe versus Wade 1973. She was the “Jane Roe”. Since that time she has taken a different stance and has tried to get the court to overturn their decision. With age she realized her thinking had been manipulated by others.

Abortion can not only affect the spirit of the woman, but also those close to them. It can become a secret inside that is not talked about. When this happens, the pain inside may not go away and can cause other issues. Most women feel they are not allowed to talk about it. This may be especially true for women who attend church.So when considering the spiritual side that is within that no one sees, one has to think about the future. People grow and mature with age. Consider the following questions:

Will you be able to be truthful with future marriage partners about an abortion?

What about future in-laws?

How about children you might have?

What about future friends?

If you are in a church family, will you share your past?

Can you be certain on how you will feel in later years or how you will internalize your choice?

Do you have religious beliefs? If so, how might they be impacted?

If you are feeling confused or overwhelmed, you are not alone. The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as trained peer-counselors to help you become better informed and give you the support you need. Our services are kept confidential. We are here to help you. Contact us today for an appointment.

Men or women facing unplanned or unwanted pregnancy may also experience emotional issues before and after abortion. As we stated in earlier posts, there are risks involved in abortion and decisions should not be rushed. In addition to physical and psychological risks of abortion, emotions will be affected.

The dictionary defines emotion as a strong feeling (such as love, anger, joy, hate, or fear).[1] All parties involved can be affected emotionally. The stress of the situation could cause emotions to play into decisions. We are here to help you make informed decisions.

Our reliable source Focus on the Family has information related to what is known as “post-abortion syndrome” (PAS) which deals with the risk of emotional trauma after abortion.[2] In the article entitled “Healing After Abortion”, the author not only examines this syndrome and explains how and why these emotions happen, she goes on to explain the impact of these emotions. She explains that it is well documented that grief follows abortion because after the initial emotions of the unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, there is a bonding process between the mother and unborn child. An abortion breaks that bond and there is a need to grieve in order to heal. Most women do not get help for that grieving process which triggers a variety of emotions such as (and not limited to):

Guilt

Anxiety

Avoidance behaviors

Depression

Self-destructive behaviors

Anniversary reactions

Earlier posts have indicated physical and psychological risks after abortion. Emotions such as those above left untreated can be just as serious.

If you are feeling emotional, you are not alone. The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors to help you become better informed and give you the support you need. Our services are kept confidential. We are here to help you. Contact us today for an appointment.

By: Linda Buice, STPRC volunteer​Abortion may seem like an immediate solution to an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, but as stated earlier there can be lasting effects and not just immediate physical effects. There can be mental risks involved with any type of abortion.

Research in this area is limited and more needs to be done. Focus on The Family is a reliable online source that presents up to date resources on this topic. Being informed on abortion risks includes considering all issues that could arise.

In her article entitled “Abortion Complications”,[1] the author cited reliable research that abortion does increase the risk for future mental health problems. These problems included:

Mood disorders

Substance abuse

Suicide

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

The dictionary defines psychological[2] as meaning relating to the mind which is different from emotional which relates to feelings.[3]Each problem listed above can have serious, long term consequences post-abortion for the client. This in turn can affect others close to them.

The article included research from multiple expert sources in each area covering a span of twenty years or more. The facts and evidence presented indicate how important the issue of future psychological issues should be considered and discussed before an abortion. Some of the resources cited in the article also indicated that these issues could occur in both men and women as a result of an abortion.Health care professionals should help clients to be aware of current studies, resources, or published scientific research being done on this topic.The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors to help you become better informed. Our services are kept confidential. The internet is full of resources that may or may not be helpful. Some studies may not have been done in a reliable scientific manner. We are here to help you and to give you the support you may need. Contact us today for an appointment.

By: Linda Buice, volunteer at the STPRCAbortion may seem like an immediate solution to an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, but physical complications may occur that have lasting effects. There is risk involved with any type of abortion.Several steps will help you be more informed before making a choice:

The pregnancy should be confirmed. It is possible to receive a false indication of pregnancy.

Counseling from someone who does not have a financial or personal stake in what is decided has been considered and explored.

You are aware that medical conditions such as high blood pressure, anemia, diabetes, or other conditions increase your risk of complications. (1)

The abortion provider being considered has been researched. This includes checking with a state agency (or licensing board) to see if there malpractice suits is pending or if any settlements have been made.

The provider should have an emergency follow-up care plan which includes admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. (1)

An ultrasound is done by a trained provider that rules out ectopic pregnancy which would require emergency care. (1)

Careful preparation does not guarantee physical complications will not occur. The provider may explain the procedure, but not risks. Be prepared to ask questions and know what can happen. Possible risks for the most common procedures are listed below, but this list is not all-encompassing.

The abortion pill* is used in early stages of pregnancy. Risks reported by the FDA are: -hemorrhage

-failed abortion -serious infections (including a blood infection called sepsis) Other possible side effects: - -nausea -vomiting -diarrhea -fever (could be a sign of serious infection)*The FDA has ordered that the pill should never be purchased online and must be purchased from a health-care professional. (1)

2. The surgical procedure called D & E (dilation and evacuation) is done in the second trimester in the office, clinic, or a hospital. Some risks reported include: - infection -torn cervix-hole in the uterus -complications from anesthesia -possible hysterectomy (as a result of complications) (2)

3. A medical induction is done after 16 weeks of pregnancy and usually requires a hospital stay of one or more days. Medicine is used to induce labor which may last several hours or several days. Risks that have been reported include: -fever -infections -inability to become pregnant later in life, due to infection -hemorrhage -possible uterine rupture -possible hysterectomy as a result of complication or injury during the procedure (2)

The lists included are physical risks only. Future blog posts will include emotional, psychological, and the spiritual impact abortion may have.

The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified peer-counselors to help you become better informed. Our services are kept confidential. The internet is full of resources that may or may not be helpful. We are here to help you and to give you the support you may need. Contact us today for an appointment.

1Hager, David.The Abortion Pill. Focus on the Family, 2010. Print.

2"Abortion Risks and Procedures."The Life Center.Midland Life Center.Web.<http://www.midlandlifecenter.org/abortion-risksprocedures>.

Pregnancy is a life-changing moment for a woman and those close to her regardless of age. If you or someone you know has a pregnancy that is unwanted, unexpected, or has a feeling of being overwhelmed by pregnancy and abortion is being considered, please know that you are not alone. We are here to help you become informed about a decision that could impact your life far beyond the actual procedure. This series will address some issues that are important to consider before you make a life altering decision.

Unplanned pregnancies can be overwhelming for a variety of reasons. The situation can affect family members and friends, too. You or someone you know may be considering abortion because:

a fear of social stigma

pressure from family members, friends, or partners

inability to financially support a child

no partner

a baby will interfere with school or career

a feeling of not being ready to have a child

are not sure of options

age

These are just some examples of possible scenarios or pressures.

Before you make a choice, please consider becoming educated about the risks of abortion procedures, long-term possible effects for the woman and those close to her, other choices and support that is available.

The Southern Tier Pregnancy Resource Center has a variety of resources available as well as qualified counselors to help you become better informed. The internet is full of resources that may or may not be helpful. The information can be confusing. We are here to help you and to give you the support you may need.